Time Changes But Love Is Constant
by TheGirlInThePinkScarf
Summary: Emmett thinks he has all the time in the world to get his life back on track and to get his ex boyfriend James back. His plans change when he finds out that James is getting married in a week.
1. Chapter 1: Never Too Late For Love

**A/N: I'm back with another story, but I need to apologize for a few reasons.**

**One: I have so many old stories to work on, so I'm sorry that I wrote a new one.**

**Writing new stories is like an obsession, if I get a new idea I just **_**have **_**to write it!**

**Two: This story is a little similar to another story that I've posted, but it's still different.**

**I noticed about 5,000 words into it how similar it was, but after writing that many words I couldn't part with the story.**

**Then I saw The Hangover 2 and that inspired me; the movie was so much like the original, but still different at the same time.**

**So, it made me confident that I could write something a little familiar, but still make it different enough where people don't feel like they're reading the same story.**

**I'm actually proud of myself because I waited until I was finished with this to start posting, so there won't be like 2 months in between chapters!**

**Sorry about all of the rambling, I'll shut up so you guys can read and review now. : )**

**Disclaimer: ****I do not own Twilight or anything associated with Stephenie Meyer's characters.**

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><p><span>Time Changes But Love Is Constant<span>

Emmett's POV

Working out helps take the edge off sometimes. There are days when I want a drink so bad that there's almost nothing I wouldn't do for just a sip of alcohol. I've been sober for 3 years, but I still have cravings. I'm currently at my favorite gym lifting weights so I can take control and not give in. My phone rings and my eyes grow wide when I see that it's Alice; my ex boyfriend's first cousin. I run outside quickly and then I answer it.

"Alice?" I greet.

"Yeah, hey Emmett," She replies.

"I haven't heard from you in so long, how are you?" I wonder.

"I'm doing great actually, what about you?" Alice asks.

"I'm sober if that's what you're asking," I answer.

"That's really good to hear," She says in a genuine tone.

"I know you didn't call just to check in with me, what's going on?" I question suspiciously.

Alice sighs. "Um…there's really no easy way to say this so I'm just going to say it. James is getting married in a week."

"Oh, wow," I comment after a brief pause.

"He'd kill me if he knew that I was telling you this," She admits.

"Why _are_ you telling me?" I probe.

Alice takes a deep breath. "Because I know how much you cared about him. You may have had a fucked up way of showing him at times, but I could always see right through you. You were scared, scared because you loved him, afraid because you thought he didn't love you, so you acted out sometimes. I think that you deserve to say goodbye to him. You two have so much history and you've gone through so much together, I think James is being completely unfair not telling you this himself. I told you that you were like family to me and I still feel like that, so that's why I'm telling you this."

"Thanks Alice, I really appreciate it," I tell her.

"You're welcome, Emmett. Take care of yourself," She says before hanging up.

I run a frustrated hand through my short curls and take a deep breath. I figured that James had moved on since we broke up, but _marriage_? Marriage is so serious and something that I never knew James wanted, he never talked about it. We were 21 though when we broke up and that was 6 years ago. He's older, more mature now and apparently has found someone that he wants to spend the rest of his life with. I feel sick and suddenly I don't feel like finishing my work out.

I hop in my jeep and I should go home, but I drive the opposite direction and go somewhere that I haven't gone in 3 years. I park in the familiar parking lot and walk into what used to be my favorite liquor store. I really feel like a kid in a candy store, there's so much to choose from. I'm not picky when it comes to alcohol, I drink it all; beer, wine, whiskey, rum, vodka, tequila, it really doesn't matter. I'm desperate right now so I'll take anything.

"Emmett! I haven't seen you in so long!" The owner, Laurent greets.

"Yeah, it has been a while," I agree.

"You were fresh out of rehab last time you came here. You were a fucking mess actually," He recalls.

"I'm a lot better now. I'm just here to pick up something for a friend," I lie.

"That's good to hear, I'm glad that you've gotten your life together," Laurent says.

We continue to talk as I make my way through the store, trying to figure out what I want to buy. Although I drink everything, whiskey has kind of always been my go to drink so I make my way over to the Jack Daniels aisle. My mouth is watering just thinking about having a taste. I pay and then I leave abruptly because I don't want Laurent to see how fucked up I really am right now. I take the bottle out of the paper bag as soon as I get in the house.

I take the top off and I shiver when the strong aroma hits my nose. It takes all the strength I have to step away from the bottle. I tell myself that I'll never have a chance to get James back if I have even a swallow, and it's enough to stop me from drinking temporarily. My heart beat is racing and my palms are sweaty because I don't just want to drink, I _need _to do it. I take the bottle over to the sink and instead of just pouring it out; I break the glass and watch the amber liquid splash all over the sink.

I walk away and I bend over, panting with my hands on my knees like I've just run a mile. I know exactly what I need to help me get through this. I grab my phone and I search through my contacts until I get to Jasper's number. I really hope that he answers because I need him so badly right now. I'm trying so hard not to relapse, but I can't overcome this alone. Thankfully, he picks up after 3 rings.

"I'm really struggling right now, can we meet somewhere?" I ask as I wipe the sweat from my forehead.

"Of course. We can meet at Lucy's like we used to," Jasper replies.

"Ok, I'll be there in about 10 minutes," I answer.

I have no idea where I'd be without Jasper. I met him in rehab and pretty much since day one; he's been my best friend and biggest supporter. I was only in rehab for 2 years and I've been sober for 3 years instead of 4, because that year in between was up and down, filled with many drunken nights I still can't remember and tons of binge drinking. Jasper helped me through it and he's a large part of the reason why I haven't relapsed.

When I make it to Lucy's, a 24 hour diner that serves amazing burgers, I look for Jasper in our favorite table toward the back of the restaurant. He's adjusting his glasses as he browses the menu. He gets out of his seat and gathers me into a tight hug when he sees me. I squeeze back just as hard and I try to take comfort in the feel of his arms around me. Jasper has a way of calming me down and making me feel like everything will be ok, it's like a gift.

"Thank you so much for meeting me here," I express my gratitude.

"I meant it when I said that I'd always be here for you. You look like hell though, what's going on?" He asks with concern heavy in his tone.

"You remember me always talking about my ex, James, right?" I check.

Jasper nods. "Yes, of course."

"Well his cousin Alice called me today to tell me that he's getting married," I explain.

"I'm so sorry Em," Jazz apologizes.

"That's not even the worst part though. He didn't want me to know, he wasn't going to tell me. Alice just told me because she thinks I deserve to say goodbye to him. Apparently James didn't even think I was worthy of that…" I trail off as I try to fight back tears.

"His last memories of you aren't very positive, remember? He hasn't seen how you've transformed and how different you are now. So, you have to go show him that you're not the same person that you used to be, you have to let him know how much you still love him," He advises.

"I don't think I'm strong enough to face him, I don't know what I'll do if I hear him say that he doesn't love me anymore," I confess.

I want to say more, but I pause when our waitress comes and takes our order after apologizing for the wait. Jasper and I order the same thing pretty much every time that we come here; a double cheeseburger and a chocolate milkshake. Our waitress is nice, but it takes me a moment to realize that she thinks that Jasper and I are on a date. We both blush, but don't bother correcting her. Jazz winks at me when she walks away.

"You wish that you could tap this ass," Jasper says with a smirk.

"I'm pretty sure I already did," I retort.

"We were both emotional wrecks at the time so it doesn't count," He comments.

"Speaking of you being an emotional wreck, how are things with Edward?" I wonder.

"Good, unfortunately he's all the way in New York right now for business," Jasper remarks with a pout.

"I'm glad that you were able to work things out, at least one of us gets a happy ending," I reply with a sad smile.

"James may have given up on you, but his feelings could change completely when he sees you. You can't just give up, Em, you have to fight," He tells me.

I sigh. "I know that you're right, but just remembering the look of _hatred _on his face when he last saw me makes me think that ne _never _wants to see me again."

"All that you can do is take responsibility for your actions in the past and focus on your present. It helps to think of yourself as 2 different people; the old you and the new one. The old one isn't relevant anymore, it's not who you are right now. If you focus on that, hopefully James will see and understand that too," Jazz explains.

I shake my head in agreement and I'm thankful when our food comes. Not only am I hungry, but eating gives me an excuse not to talk and that gives me an excuse not to have to think right now. I eat slower than usual because I need the distraction. Jasper and I finish eating at about the same time and I glance at my watch. It's not too late, only 9:30 p.m. but I know that Jazz has to get up really early for work.

"You should probably be getting home soon, huh?" I ask.

"Yeah, but I can stay for as long as you need me to," He answers.

"You're way too good to me. Go home and get some sleep, I should be fine," I assure him.

"Are you sure?" He questions.

"Yeah. I got rid of the bottle of whiskey I bought. I'll probably just watch a movie or something for the rest of the night," I tell him.

Jasper grabs my hand. "Don't hesitate to call or text if you need me though, I don't care what time it is."

I nod and I give him a hug before we leave. Like always, I feel better after talking to Jasper. He's just such a great listener and he gives pretty good advice too. I know he's right about James, but I'm honestly just too scared of him rejecting me. I'm barely my shit together now; I just don't think that I'm ready to face rejection right now. I only have 7 days though, after that, I may not have another chance of getting James back.

It's been a long day and I'm exhausted. I turn off all of the lights in my room and I close my eyes, doing my best to clear my mind and relax. I find comfort thinking about the good times that I had with James; our first date, our first kiss, the first time we had sex. I remember everything about him so vividly, like it was just yesterday. I'm pretty sure that I always loved him, like even before I met him; I had an idea in my head of the kind of guy I'd fall for and James was exactly that. I fall asleep with a smile on my face for the first time in a while.

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><p><strong>6 Days Later<strong>

Emmett's POV

I nearly fall off of my bed because the volume on my phone is all the way up and it startles me. I can tell by the ringtone that it's a text message. I look at my alarm clock and I see that it's 10:30 a.m. It's Saturday morning and I usually like to sleep until at least noon so I'm a little groggy. I stretch and then I walk to the bathroom to take a quick piss. I check my messages when I get back and I see that Alice is who just sent me a text. The message contains an address to where James' bachelor party is located.

I send her a text back saying thanks, but that I won't be coming. Jasper has been trying to get me to go talk to James too, but I keep saying no. Alice sends me another text with the address of the park where they're getting married tomorrow and what time the wedding starts in case I change my mind. I want to see James desperately, if nothing else, I just want to see with my own eyes that he's happy.

That's also the reason I _don't_ want to see him though. I'm still a little bit selfish and it's going to hurt like hell to see that some other guy is doing something that I could never really accomplish; make James truly happy. It's going to hurt to see James in love with someone else. I have to search within and find the strength though because I either need to say goodbye to him once and for all or fight with everything I have.

I need someone to talk to, but I don't want to bother Jasper right now. Edward got back in town a few days ago so I know that Jasper wants to spend all of his time with him. I don't have that many other friends because I cut ties with everyone that enabled my drinking habit. Most of the people I met from rehab are either still there or have relapsed. The only person that I can really talk to right now is Alice. I dial her number and she answers the phone giggling.

"What's so funny?" I ask.

"Nothing, Jacob was just tickling me," She replies with another laugh.

"Tell him I said hi," I request.

"I will. So what's up?" Alice wonders.

"I need to talk," I state.

"So talk," She encourages.

"I know that if I don't see James that I'll probably regret it, but I think I'll be more disappointed if I see him and he tells me how much he detests me," I reason.

"He doesn't hate you," Alice argues.

"Are you sure?" I ask.

"You completely broke his fucking heart Emmett, over and over again. He just got fed up with it and said so many things impulsively the last night that he saw you. He's still hurt, he also thinks of you as _that _guy in his memory because he doesn't have anything else to go by. If you show up truly sober and genuine, he won't hate you," She explains.

"I want him back Ali, I don't want to say goodbye or give him up. I want him to be mine again," I reveal.

Alice exhales. "Because I love you like a brother still, I'm going to be honest with you. He seems really happy and he's _in_ love. He is with a great guy and—"

I interrupt her. "I get it; I don't have to hear anymore. I fucked up so badly and I have to suffer the consequences. I should have treated him properly when we were together."

"I'm sorry. I really wish that things would have worked out differently with you guys," She apologizes sincerely.

"Thanks. I'd love to see you and Jacob again sometime. I miss you guys," I admit.

"We miss you too. If you come to the bachelor party, you'll see Jake tonight and you'll see me tomorrow at the wedding," Alice adds.

"I can't go, Alice. I'm still working on improving myself and I'm not selfless enough to _watch _him be content," I tell her.

"That's understandable. It's a difficult situation for anyone to be in," She empathizes.

"I'm going to go workout, so I'll talk to you later," I declare.

"Ok, bye Em," Alice says.

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><p>By the time that I finish working out, eating, visiting Jasper and Edward, cleaning my car and cleaning my room it's almost 7:00 p.m. James' party starts in a few hours, but I'm keeping myself busy so I won't focus on that. I haven't cleaned the closet in my living room in a long time so I'm not surprised when various boxes and containers come flying out when I open the door. I start putting everything back and I pause when I find a very familiar shoebox.<p>

When James and I started dating back in high school, we used to write letters to each other all of the time. I open the box and a few letters come spilling out. I pick a random one and I can tell by the writing that it's one of the older ones that James wrote me. There's a red stain on it, but I can still read it just fine. It's a little dark so I turn on another light and I sit down and begin reading the letter.

_Dear Emmett,_

_I have no idea if you even know who I am. My name is James Brandon and I'm in a few of your classes. I sit behind you in Biology and right across from you in English. I'm kind of shy so that's why I decided to write you a letter. I just want to let you know that I'm really into you. The only reason that I like English is because I sit close to you. I get to smell your cologne and I get to see you smile when you tell a joke that makes the whole class laugh. You're a breath of fresh air, you're funny, you're a lot smarter than you let on, you're confident, you're fun, you literally make my heart skip a beat every time that I see you._

_I'm so scared to talk to you; you make me so damn nervous. I see you at lunch hanging out with your friends and I wish that I was a part of your circle. Your confidence and your bold "I don't give a fuck attitude" make me not only attracted to you, but I admire that about you. I wish that I was more like you. You've had such an effect on my life by just being the amazing person that you are and you have no idea. Just thinking about your beautiful smile or your boisterous laughter when I'm feeling down can completely change my mood._

_I don't mean to sound like a creepy stalker or anything; I just wanted to let you know that I would love to be your boyfriend. I'm not nearly as cool as you are, I'm kind of the opposite actually, but I think that we would be good together. I just __**know **__that I'll only fall for you more as I get to know you better. I hope that you write me back, even if you only write back to say that you're not interested._

_-James_

I remember this letter; it was the first one that he wrote me and it pretty much started our relationship. Of course I knew exactly who he was, he was the soft spoken, yet intelligent when he did speak hot guy. This letter was written 13 years ago, but still if he had feelings for me like that before he even really knew me, he must _still _care about me deep down. If he fell in love with me once, he can fall in love with me again.

I take a shower because I'm still sweaty from working out earlier and I put on my favorite t-shirt and pair of jeans that James gave me years ago. I fix my hair and I check my phone so I can find that address Alice sent me. This address is all the way on the west side so it's going to take me between 45 minutes to an hour depending on traffic. I send Jasper a text letting him know that I'm going to see James and he wishes me luck.

I take a deep breath in an attempt to calm my anxious, rattled nerves. The closer that I get, the more nervous I become. I haven't even practiced what I'm going to say and I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing yet. Sometimes my mouth can really get me in trouble, but I think whatever I say will feel more true and authentic because it will be honest; it won't be me trying to remember a rehearsed speech or anything.

I arrive at the address and there are cars parked all over the driveway and the lawn so I find a park on the street. I'm sweating profusely and I can feel my pulse in my ears. I can hear laughter from inside the house and I knock sharply twice. I raise my hand to knock again when the door swings open. An unfamiliar guy with sandy blonde hair answers and I tell him that I'm an old friend of James.

"He's just in the kitchen, he'll be out soon," He says as he steps aside and lets me in.

I don't want to sit so I just stand by the door. Everyone's staring at me and I only recognize a few people here. Jacob smiles and I wave at him. I'm staring off into space when I hear his voice. I can't quite make out his words, but I know his voice as well as I know my own. James has a clear glass in his hand when he walks out of the kitchen and he drops it, shattering the glass when his eyes land on me.

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><p><strong>AN: This ended up being over 10,000 words and I know that some one-shots are that long, but I wanted to break it up.**

**I didn't really know where to break it up though so hopefully this spot isn't too bad.**

**I have the rest already written so I will be updating pretty soon!**

**I'm done with school for the summer, but I just got my first job so I'm busy because of that.**

**I'm going to try really, really hard not to write any new stories and focus on my old ones!**

**I love every single one of my reviewers so much and I can't wait to hear what you all have to say!**


	2. Chapter 2: Time Changes Love Is Constant

**A/N: I'm so, so sorry that this took me so long to post guys!**

**I was out of town for a Supernatural convention and then I had to work for 10 days in a row so I was really tired.**

**I'm enjoying my time off though at my parents' house so I made sure that I would make time to post this!**

**Since it took me longer than I would have liked to get this out, I didn't break this up into several posts.**

**Anyway, enough of me boring you with excuses, I hope that all of you enjoy the story!  
><strong>**  
><strong>**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or anything associated with Stephenie Meyer's characters.**

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><p><strong>Recap from the last chapter:<strong>

_I don't want to sit so I just stand by the door. Everyone's staring at me and I only recognize a few people here. Jacob smiles and I wave at him. I'm staring off into space when I hear his voice. I can't quite make out his words, but I know his voice as well as I know my own. James has a clear glass in his hand when he walks out of the kitchen and he drops it, shattering the glass when his eyes land on me._

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><p><span>Chapter 2: Time Changes, But Love Is Constant<span>

Emmett's POV

"Emmett?" He asks in disbelief.

I scratch my neck awkwardly. "Can we talk?"

Someone that I don't know tells James that he'll clean up the mess for him and James thanks him. He then turns toward me and nods at the door. I take the hint and I make my way outside. James follows after me a few minutes later. He starts walking to the end of the driveway and I head after him. I open my mouth to speak, but before I can get a word out, James punches me in my nose.

I wince. "I deserve that."

He massages his knuckles. "You deserve _much_ worse than that. What the fuck are you doing here? How did you even—It was Alice wasn't it?"

"Yeah, but—" I start.

James cuts me off. "Of course it was her! For some reason, she always had such a fucking soft spot for you. She really needs to learn to mind her own damn business. I'll deal with her later, though. I obviously have bigger fish to fry right now."

"I know that I'm the last person that you want to see right now, but I just want to talk. Will you allow me that?" I plead.

"You've got 10 minutes and not _one_ second more. I have guests waiting and a few things that I have to do in order to prepare for tomorrow so I can't be out here all night with you," He states with his arms crossed.

I bite my lip and stare into his eyes. "I want to apologize for all of the times that I hurt you. I can't express how truly sorry that I am. I was weak back then and I let my alcoholism control me. I can't blame everything on being drunk though because it didn't actually _make _me do anything, it just brought out all of my unattractive traits and made them uglier. I know how much you disliked me when I was drunk, because I hated myself when I was drunk too. I just wanted you to know that I never wanted to hurt you, I was just so fucked up and going through so much shit with my parents and I took it out on you. I wasn't fair to you and I'm honestly surprised that you stayed with me for so long. Losing you made me realize that I needed serious help so I went to rehab and thanks to that I've been clean for 3 years. My love for you used to be a weakness, it was unhealthy before, it made me crazy, it made me jealous, possessive, it made me do so many stupid and hurtful things. But now my love for you is what keeps me sober, it keeps me alive. Alice told me how happy you are and as much as it hurts, I'm glad that you found someone who can do what I couldn't."

"I um…wow," James replies unintelligently.

"Not quite the response I was expecting," I admit with a chuckle.

He shrugs. "I don't know what to say, Emmett. I mean I had no idea that you were having trouble with your parents because you never told me. You've really been clean for 3 years? That's amazing. I can honestly say that I'm surprised; I wasn't sure what was going to happen to you after we broke up. I used to worry myself sick wondering if you were going to be ok. I used to check the obituaries to make sure that you didn't die from alcohol poisoning or something. It was a really dark time for me when you were gone. I was so broken and scarred after you left, but then I met Riley. His love, his strength, his beauty, it made me whole again."

"I came to say goodbye, but honestly, I'm not ready to let you go, James. I know you feel differently, but I still love you as much as I did when I was 14 years old. I always felt like you were too good for me, that you would realize that and leave me a lot sooner than you did. I always felt like you didn't love me the same, that you couldn't, that I wasn't worthy. Loving you is all that I know, it's _a part _of me. How can I just let go of that?" I ask as I step closer to him.

"I—"

His sentence gets interrupted by his phone ringing. I can tell by his change in expression that he must be talking to Riley. I turn my back to him so I can give him some privacy, but I can't help eavesdropping. They don't seem to be talking about much, but I cringe when I hear James tell him that he loves him. I turn back around when he hangs up the phone and he speaks before I do.

"I have to go, but you should come in and let me treat that bruise quickly," James offers.

"Sure," I concede.

We walk back toward the house in mostly silence. When we get in the house, he tells everyone that he has to cut the party short. They groan, but he promises the reception tomorrow will be amazing. There are a lot of hugs, handshakes, and kisses goodbye. After about 10 minutes, James and I are alone. I start looking around the living room at the different pictures of Riley and James while he goes to get the peroxide, gauze and bandages.

"You should take care of your hand first," I advise as I look at his bloody knuckles.

"It's fine, your nose is swelling," He notes.

"When did you get such a good right hook?" I ask, teasingly.

"Boxing classes," James answers as he dabs some peroxide on my nose.

"Don't marry him," I blurt out.

"Em, please, don't—"

I cut him off. "I will literally get down on my knees and beg if I have to. I need you, James. I know that you love him, but you can't tell me that it's the same way you love me."

"Be still and what I have with Riley is pure, beautiful, it's serene. More importantly, it's what _I _need in my life right now. What we had was great…at the time, but I've matured and I want something different now," He declares defensively.

"I'm different now; I've matured and changed too. We can build something new together. It doesn't matter how much I transform though, I'm _always _going to crave you. You don't have a love like we had and just move on," I remark.

"I did it, I got over you and moved on," James replies looking me right in the eyes.

I have a retort on the tip of my tongue, but after his statement, it's completely useless. I should have followed my first mind and not have come to see him. I practically run to my car because I just need distance from him right now. I don't feel like driving back to my place so I text Alice and ask her if I can stay with her and Jacob for the night since she lives closer. She agrees and I make my way over to her house.

Alice answers the door in her robe and she looks extremely tired. She takes me upstairs to the guestroom and tells me to come get her if I need anything. I'm beyond thankful that she doesn't grill me about what happened. I lay down, but I'm too restless to actually go to sleep. I'm in the mood for a run, but it's too dark outside so I turn on the TV. There's nothing on so I just leave it on the history channel. Maybe I'll go to sleep if I'm bored enough.

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><p>James' POV<p>

I wake up to semi-hushed voices. The clock reads 9:00 a.m. and I wonder why Riley didn't wake me up to start getting ready. I follow the sound of the voices to the living room. I see Riley and his older sisters Bree and Victoria sitting at the table. Bree wipes her eyes and that's when I realize that they all look like they've been crying. I wrap my arms around Riley's waist and give him a few gentle kisses on his neck.

"What's going on?" I wonder.

"My mom's in the hospital, her blood sugar got too high," He answers.

I rub his back soothingly. "I'm so sorry, sweetie. Is she going to be ok?"

"We hope so, but we don't know yet," Victoria replies.

"I hope you don't mind that I postponed the wedding," Riley says.

"Of course not. Your mom's health is a priority," I tell him earnestly.

He turns around and kisses me. "Thanks for being so understanding."

Riley informs me that he told all of our guests about the postponement and that everyone has been really supportive. He looks really tired and like he hasn't eaten anything so I tell him that after I make him and his sisters some food, that we'll go visit his mom. I cook everyone some eggs, toast and bacon. I jump into the shower with Riley, we get dressed and the four of us head to the hospital. Their mother, Tanya is eating when we enter the room.

"Shouldn't all of you be getting ready for the wedding?" Tanya questions.

"Are you kidding? You think I'd get married without you being there? Not a chance," Riley replies.

"Mama's boy," She teases.

"You look good mom, how do you feel?" Bree wonders.

"Tired and a little sick, but I'll be just fine," Tanya reassures.

"You have to remember to take your medicine, mom. Your life is at stake," Victoria berates.

"Now's not the time to scold her, Vikki," Riley points out.

Victoria glares at him. "Then when is the right time? This isn't the first time that she's landed in the hospital. She needs to realize how serious this disease is."

"Your sister is right sweetheart. I'm not taking care of myself like I should. I have to be more responsible," Tanya acknowledges.

"We're all just worried about you, we want you to be healthy," I add.

Tanya smiles. "I know. I thank all of you for caring so much about me."

We continue to have light conversation for about an hour before Tanya says that she's tired. We all hug her and give her a kiss on a cheek as we leave. Victoria and Bree decide that they're going to go home, but they may stop by our house later though. The drive to our house is quiet because I'm a little bit distracted. Riley of course picks up on my change in mood because he's always so attentive.

"What's wrong, baby?" He asks.

"I'm not going to lie and say nothing, but I don't think that now is the right time to discuss it," I answer truthfully.

"Why not?" Riley probes.

"Because of everything that's going on with your mom, we can talk later," I tell him.

"Ok, just tell me when you're ready," He says.

"Yeah," I mumble.

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><p><strong>2 Days Later<br>**James' POV

Tanya was released from the hospital this morning so everyone's really excited. Riley and I haven't picked the new date for the wedding yet, but we will soon. He's currently kissing my neck and sticking his hand into my boxers. I quickly begin to harden under his touch like I always do. I moan softly and close my eyes at the pleasurable sensations that I'm feeling. When he bites my neck, I'm suddenly reminded of the time when Emmett discovered my biting fetish.

"We need to talk," I blurt out.

"Later," He replies with his mouth on my shoulder.

I gently push him away. "It can't wait."

"What's more important than this right now?" Riley asks.

"Emmett came to visit me the other day," I reveal.

"Your ex? When? Why didn't you tell me?" He questions.

"It was during my bachelor party and I was waiting for the right time," I answer.

Riley raises an eyebrow. "So you're telling me that the perfect time to spring this information on me is when I'm jerking you off?"

"Ok, that came out completely wrong. I was going to tell you, but then after everything with your mom, I thought I should wait," I attempt to explain.

"What exactly _is _there to tell? I mean you didn't…" He trails off as he bites his lip nervously.

"We didn't do anything, we just talked. I'm always truthful with you about everything so I just thought you'd want to know," I reply.

"There's something you're not telling me. I can handle whatever it is, just tell me," Riley encourages.

"He was just different. I thought he'd always be that crazy, drunken person that I grew to hate, but he was sober and not at all like that horrible person I remember," I confess.

"Let me guess, he reminded you of how he was when you first got together, when you were madly in love with him?" He assumes.

"A little bit, yes," I admit.

Riley blinks back tears. "Wow. Um…so do you still have feelings for him?"

I pause briefly so I can hold back the onslaught of tears. "Honestly? I don't know."

"If my mother hadn't gotten sick, you would have married _me _even though you're still in love with your _ex_…" He trails off angrily.

"I didn't say that—"

Riley cuts me off. "But you didn't deny it, that's just as good as a confession in my mind."

"It doesn't change anything. I still love you and I still want to be with you," I let him know.

"How can you say that it doesn't change anything? It changes everything, James," He says somberly.

"So where does this leave us?" I ask bashfully.

"Your heart isn't 100% mine so I can't be with you. I've been in this situation before and I won't do it again," Riley states with misty eyes.

I wipe the tears that are rapidly flowing. "Please, don't go. It's really late and you're not thinking with a clear head, how about you sleep on it and make a decision in the morning?"

"Do you really think that getting a few hours of sleep will magically make this situation any better?" He asks sarcastically.

"I just…I'm trying to think of anything that will make you stay," I state frankly.

"I love you so much and I know that you feel the same way about me, but if given the choice between me and Emmett, he's going to win every time," Riley says matter of factly.

"That's not true," I argue.

He caresses my cheek and kisses my forehead. "It is the truth and it makes total sense; he's known you longer than I have and he has more history with you. He was your first everything and there's not one part of your life that's not somehow intertwined with him. I should have known that it was going to end this way though because when I met you, you said you hated him, but I knew that a small part of you loved him too. I was so damn foolish for ever thinking that you'd ever _truly _be over him."

"I don't know what to say," I reply hopelessly.

"That's because everything worth saying has already been said. I can't sleep here tonight; I need to go somewhere else. I'll probably start moving my stuff out sometime tomorrow," Riley states, already detached.

I don't even argue with him or try to get him to stay because I know that it's futile. I'm mentally and emotionally exhausted and I just don't have any fight left in me. I'm not going to stay here tonight either because sleeping in an empty house, with a vacant spot next to me is just too much. I text Alice and ask her for Emmett's address, because I just _know _that she has it. She gives it to me and surprisingly doesn't ask me why I want it.

I turn my back to Riley as I put my clothes back on. By the time that I grab my phone, my keys and a random hoodie, Riley is already gone. It's pouring outside and I know that I should stay home, but I can't. I get into my car quickly and I just wait for a little while to see if the weather will clear. I turn on the radio and "You're Still the One" by Shania Twain is on. This song was out when Emmett and I began dating and it was our favorite song back then.

Now, the song just hits a little _too _close to home so I change the station. The rain finally slows down about ten minutes later. I put Emmett's address into my GPS because I'm not exactly sure how to get there. I glance at myself in the mirror and I look pitiful; my hair is completely soaked and my eyes are red and puffy. I have the headache from hell and I'm feeling pissed, scared, hurt, and confused all at the same time.

I park my car behind his jeep in his driveway. I take my time walking to his front door even though it's still raining heavily because I'm still wondering if I should have come here or not. I start pacing for a few minutes because I'm fucking _nervous_. I knock on his door obnoxiously, but I stop when I realize that it's 1:30 in the morning. I hear crashing noises and Emmett swearing loudly. I'm a little deranged right now, so I can't help laughing. Emmett always was a clumsy bastard.

He opens the door. "James?"

"Can I come in?" I ask.

Emmett silently moves to the side so I enter his house. He leaves quickly and comes back with a towel to wrap me in. I didn't realize how damn cold I was, but now I'm freezing and my feet are going numb. He tells me that he's going to get me some clean, dry clothes to put on and then make me a cup of coffee to warm me up. I can only nod in response because my teeth are chattering.

"The pants and boxers are going to be a bit big, but I don't have any smaller clothes," Emmett apologizes as he hands me a t-shirt, boxers and sweat pants.

"It's ok, thanks," I say a little awkwardly.

"The bathroom is right down the hall, first door on the right," He instructs me.

I make my way to the bathroom and I sigh in contentment when I get my wet clothes off. I should take a hot shower, but I'm too damn tired. I tighten the pants as much as I can and they still sag a little bit. I'm not completely warm yet because my hair is still damp, but I feel a lot better. I need a plastic bag or something to put my clothes in, but I don't see anything so I open the door so I can find Emmett.

I'm scared shitless when I see him right outside the door with a plastic bag in his hands. He laughs at the terrified expression on my face and he tells me that the coffee is done. He holds the bag open for me as I throw my clothes in it. We head to his kitchen and there are 2 coffee mugs along with some cream, sugar and spoons on the table. Emmett tells me that he'll wash my clothes for me in the morning.

"Thank you," I express my gratitude.

"You're welcome," Emmett replies.

I add sugar and cream to my coffee. "I know you want an explanation about why I'm here, but I'm fucking beat right now."

"We can talk later; I just want to make sure that you're ok. I mean I'm glad you're here, but I know you're not here because you want to be. Something's wrong," He notices.

"Your house is very nice," I compliment, deliberately changing the subject.

"Thanks," Em replies simply.

"Our old song was on the radio earlier," I tell him.

"Which one?" He wonders.

"Guess," I challenge.

"You're Still the One?" Emmett surmises.

"Good guess," I comment.

"It was the first song that popped into my head. We used to play that song like it was our anthem or something," He recalls.

"We had a love affair with "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" by Aerosmith too," I add.

"Remember that time Alice walked in on us singing that? It was so embarrassing," Emmett remembers.

"Well, she walked in on us doing _other _things too. That was probably the least embarrassing time for her," I remark with a small smile.

He laughs. "True. Damn it, why didn't you ever lock your door?"

"Maybe I wanted to get caught," I reply with a wink.

"You were a bit of an exhibitionist and you always had a public sex kink," Em points out.

"We fulfilled that fantasy multiple times. I think my favorite was when you gave me a hand job in Biology while we were watching a movie. You had to put your sweater in my mouth so I wouldn't alert the whole class to what we were doing," I remember distinctly.

"Are you trying to make me hard?" He asks breathlessly.

"No. I'm just remembering times when I was really happy and carefree," I answer solemnly.

"I think you need to get some sleep. You look really tired and hopefully you'll feel better after resting a bit," Emmett advises.

"It can't hurt, right?" I respond.

"I have a guest room that you can sleep in," He offers.

"Thanks," I answer.

He walks me upstairs and takes me to the guest room. Emmett also lets me know where the bathroom up here is. He tells me that there are extra pillows in the closet if I need them. He tells me goodnight and then he shuts the door after he leaves. I roll over onto my stomach because I always sleep like this when I'm stressed. I inhale and a fresh, ocean like smell invades my senses. I'm not sure if it's the clothes or the bedding, but the smell is uniquely Emmett.

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><p>I walk downstairs after I wake up the next morning and I find Emmett sitting on the couch folding laundry and watching TV. He waves me over when he notices my presence and I sit down next to him. There's so many feelings that I have to sort through and deal with, but I don't want to think about any of that right now. My stomach growls loudly and Em says that he'll cook when he's done folding his clothes.<p>

"Thanks, for everything," I tell him.

He nods. "No problem."

Once he's done with his laundry, he looks in his refrigerator and since he doesn't have a lot of food, he asks if I want to go out for breakfast. Emmett hands me my clean and dry clothes from last night and I go take a shower. I wrap my towel around my waist and then I walk to Emmett's room because I want to know if he has an extra toothbrush. He answers the door shirtless and I try really hard not to stare.

"Do you have a spare toothbrush?" I finally manage to ask.

"Yeah, in the third drawer in the bathroom on the left side," Em says.

I thank him and then I quickly close the door. Emmett was always very fit and muscular, but I'm pretty sure that he wasn't always _that _big. I noticed last night the size of his hands too. I shake my head to get my mind out of the gutter and focus on getting ready. I back downstairs about 20 minutes later and I see Emmett putting his shoes on. He's all clean shaven and he looks really good in his slightly tight shirt and jeans.

"Feeling any better?" He wonders.

"Physically, yes," I answer.

There's a local diner a few blocks away so we walk instead of drive. He tells me that there's a park across the street from the diner too and that we should go there to talk when we're done eating. I agree reluctantly because I don't know what I want to say to him. Our arms brush as we're walking and his hand accidentally touches mine. His touch lingers for a few moments longer than necessary and my skin tinges where he touched me.

"Alice called earlier to ask if you were at my house," Em informs me.

"She's so nosy," I comment.

"She sounded like she was worried about you. She wouldn't tell me what was wrong, she said that you would explain it to me later," He relays Alice's message.

"Of course she minds her business the _one _time I wish that she wouldn't," I mutter.

The diner is pretty empty when we get there so our orders are taken right away. There's an older couple a few tables away and they smile at us. We smile back, but the conversation turns uncomfortable when they ask us how long we've been together. Emmett and I open our mouths to speak at the same time and both of our sentences come out as jumbled messes. I blush and start staring at the pattern on the table.

"Well, that was awkward," Emmett states the obvious.

"Not at all," I sarcastically reply.

"It just made me wonder, what the hell are we? I mean are we friends or…" He trails off when he sees our waitress.

He hands Emmett 2 plates; one that has at least 6 pancakes on it and another one with eggs, bacon and toast on it. She then hands me my ham and cheese omelet with hash browns and toast on the side. She takes our glasses so she can refill them and then she leaves. If eating was an Olympic sport, I'm pretty sure that Emmett would win a gold medal. He eats so quickly that it's almost like he doesn't breathe.

"Wow," I comment as I watch him demolish his food.

"You don't get a body like this by just eating salad," Em replies.

I nod. "Touché."

When our waitress Irina comes back with our drinks, she asks if he want anything else and we shake our heads. She gives us the check and tells us to have a good day. I don't realize until I'm done eating that I left my wallet at home. Emmett tells me that it's not a big deal and that he'll pay. He leaves Irina a nice tip and then we walk over to the park. It's a beautiful day outside and the wind is just right. I sigh before I start speaking.

"I don't know where to start," I say.

"From the beginning is normally a pretty good place," He comments.

"I hated you for a while. I still loved you though so that made me hate you even more. I didn't really think about you for a while after I was with Riley so I guess my feelings for you were neutral. I never really thought that you'd come back, so when you showed up sober…" I trail off because I can't stop my tears from falling.

"Shh, it's ok. Just breathe baby," Em comforts as he lets the pet name slip.

My tears fall harder. "You fucked everything up! I was supposed to marry Riley and be happy with him for the rest of my life. Everything was going according to plan until you showed up. I love him, God knows that I do, but I love _you _too. He left me after he discovered how I feel about you."

Emmett backs me into a nearby tree and he has me pinned with his body. He tilts my head so that I'm looking directly into his eyes and he tenderly caresses my cheek. He leans forward and I know exactly what's going to happen next, but it doesn't stop my heart from flipping over itself. When his lips touch mine, it's almost an instinct to kiss back. I never had any complaints about Riley, but kissing Emmett is indescribable.

I suddenly feel light headed, dizzy and a little faint. I get weak in the knees like I did the first time we ever kissed. I wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his back firmly because even though he's flush against me, he's not close enough and I don't want to let him go. Nothing will _ever _compare to this. How in the world did I lie and convince myself that I could live without this?

"As fun as this is, we aren't exactly on the gay friendly side of town. We should probably take this back to my place," He suggests.

"I like the sound of that," I agree in a husky tone.

We decide to sprint to his house because we're so impatient. We're at his house and running upstairs to his room about 5 minutes later. There are pieces of tattered clothing everywhere by the time we strip each other and get completely naked. I take in his naked form and I lick my lips in anticipation. I grab his hand and lead him to the bed. I climb on top of him and pepper his chest in kisses.

I lick a trail all the way from his sensitive nipples to his navel. He squirms when I stick my tongue into his belly button and I smirk because I still _know _his body after 7 years of being apart. I continue lower and I sigh in contentment when I reach his thick cock. I lick the tip where there are beads of pre-cum accumulating. We both moan in unison at the sensation. I lick the thin vein on the underside of his dick and he gasps softly.

"Fuck, James," Em groans.

I finally stop teasing and I take as much of his cock as I can without gagging. I relax my throat muscles as I slowly bob my head up and down. Emmett runs his fingers through my hair as he starts guiding my movements. I breathe through my nose so I can lick and suck harder and faster. I very gently scrape my teeth across the sensitive skin around the head and he pushes me away panting.

"I'm not going to last long if you keep that up," He points out.

I'm surprised when he sits up and captures my mouth in a very passionate kiss. He flips our positions so that he's on top of me now. He sucks on my neck and he bites the area right below my ear and I shiver because that's still my spot. He reaches over to grab some lube and a condom from his nightstand. Em coats one of his large hands in lube and he wraps it tightly around my dick.

"Please, don't make me wait," I beg.

He nods and I part my legs when I feel his hand reach my thigh. He adds a little bit more lube to his fingers before he slides one in. I'm only a little bit uncomfortable because sometimes Riley would top. He adds another finger and then moves them slowly, adding more pressure when he locates my prostate. I cry out his name and he smiles at my reaction. I remove his hand because I can't wait,I _need _him right now.

"Fuck me," I demand.

Emmett tears the condom open and puts a glob of lube on it because he positions himself at my entrance. Thankfully, he takes his time and stops for a few seconds once I'm filled completely. I push my hips into him when I'm ready for him to move. He places his hands behind my back as he rocks slowly back and forth. His blue eyes are shining brightly with love, lust, and ecstasy.

"I missed you," I admit.

Emmett bends down to kiss me. "I missed you too, James, so fucking much."

I meet all of his thrusts with a thrust of my own because he's making me feel amazing like always and I want it harder. Em moves his hands to my hips and he grabs on tightly as he speeds up his movements. His cock is moving in and out of me so quickly that it's almost a blur. I whine in protest when he stops moving and I'm going to ask him what's wrong when he turns me over so that I'm laying on my stomach.

"I love how sexy you look from this angle," He comments.

One of his hands snakes around my stomach and he starts jerking me off. I'm dizzy from all of the pleasure that I'm feeling; his hand on my dick and the light, almost teasing pressure on my prostate. He pulls out all of the way and then he quickly and roughly shoves all 8 plus inches back into me. He leans forward and pushes me down so that I'm completely flat on the bed. He sets a brutal pace and I'm in heaven.

"Yes, right there," I moan.

He starts pounding me into the mattress and the feel of his soft sheets on my hypersensitive cock are swiftly sending me toward climax. His huge, sweaty body is right on top of mine, only sweat is in between us and I fucking love it. He lightly grazes the back of my neck with his teeth, but it's close enough to a bite that the slight pain has me screaming in ecstasy as I cum fiercely. The orgasm is so intense that I black out for a few seconds.

"Shit," I remark as I catch my breath.

"My thoughts exactly," Emmett agrees.

"Did you um…" I trail off suddenly embarrassed.

"Yeah, right after you did," He answers.

We're all sticky and sweaty, but neither one of us feel like getting up to wash off. He changes his position so that he's on his back and I lay on his chest. I can hear his heart beating and it's very comforting. He pulls me a little closer and kisses me on my forehead. We don't talk for the longest time; we just hold on to each other and occasionally steal glances. I look up at him to make sure that he's still awake.

"I know that this is going to sound a little backwards, but I think we should slow things down. We should take our time and really do everything right this time," I suggest.

Emmett nods. "I think that's a good idea."

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><p><strong>1 Week Later<strong>

James' POV

It's been a week and I haven't gone back to my house yet for anything. I've been a coward and sent Alice or Jacob there to get me some clothes. Emmett doesn't bring it up and I'm thankful because I don't want to talk about it. Alice told me that Riley packed up everything and completely left 3 days ago. She found an envelope with my name on it when she was looking for my clothes and I haven't opened it yet.

"You should open it and see what it is," Emmett tells me.

"No," I disagree.

"If you're uncomfortable because I'm here with you, I can leave," He offers.

"I'm pretty sure that it's a letter, but I can't find the courage to read it," I confess.

"You need to read it though. Just do it," Emmett encourages.

I nod because I know that he's right. I take a deep breath as I open the envelope. There are a few sheets of lined paper with his handwriting on it. I don't realize that my hand is shaking until Emmett holds it and brings it to his mouth to kiss it. I'm really thankful for Emmett because he understands my love for Riley and he respects it. I unfold the pieces of paper and for some reason I decide to read it out loud.

"_Dear James,_

_The first thing that I want to let you know is that I love you so very much. I'm pretty sure you already know that, but I figure that it can't hurt to let you know one last time. If you're reading this letter then I've already left and I'm not coming back. As much as I love you, I can't stay with you knowing that I'm #2. I told you about my ex Laurent and how our relationship ended because his heart was with someone else._

_I don't know if it was wishful thinking on both of our parts or if seeing Emmett really just brought back feelings that you weren't aware that you had, but either way, as long as you love him, I don't think that you can love me truly and wholly. I was so pissed and hurt when we last saw each other so I just wanted to write this so you could really understand how I feel. I really thought that we were going to have a happy ending together, but fate had other plans._

_As much as I want to hate Emmett and blame him as the reason for why I lost you, it's not true. I did the best that I could; I loved you the best that I knew how and it __**still **__wasn't enough, so that's on me. From what you told me about him, I honestly don't understand your draw to him. I can understand why you fell for him, but I don't get why you stayed with him for so long. As much as his drinking hurt you, I don't get how you can still love him as much as you do._

_You said that he was sober when he showed up and for your sake; I really hope that you're right. You threw away having a life with a great person for someone that probably doesn't deserve a second chance, but if you're happy, that's all that matters to me. Even though my heart is broken and I'm hurting so horribly right now, I still hope that you're happy. You're an amazing person and you deserve happiness._

_I know that you didn't hurt me on purpose, but that doesn't lessen the pain at all. I'll never forget you and I'll never regret any of the time that we had together. I saw you grow from a broken, weak person to a strong, beautiful person capable of love and that's worth it to me. I changed your life, but you also changed mine and I want to thank you for that. Even though it wasn't enough, thank you for loving me._

_You brought joy to my life like no one else ever had and I will always remember that. I'll always remember you as someone with a huge heart as someone whose smile could light my very darkest days. I hate having to say goodbye to you and I'm going to mourn your loss for a very long time, but it's necessary and the right thing to do for both of us. I really do hope that you're happy with Emmett._

_Love,_

_Riley._

Emmett rubs my back soothingly and just holds me as I start crying. I know that I made the right decision by telling him I loved Emmett and I don't regret it, but I really am going to miss him. I'll never forget Riley and he'll always have a special place in my heart as well. I regain my composure and I place my hand in Emmett's as I look deeply into his eyes. I blink back the last of my tears before addressing him.

"I gave up an amazing man for you. I just want to let you know that I will never forgive you if you start drinking again," I declare seriously.

"I have no reason to start drinking again. I know how to deal with my problems in ways that aren't self-destructive and I'm unbelievably content now that you're back in my life. I've lost you once; trust me when I say that I will _**never ever **_drive you away again. I've learned my lesson," I state sincerely.

I kiss him fervently. "I know you have. I believe in you Emmett McCarty. I believe that you love me enough not to hurt me like that again. I believe that we can be happy together and that we'll overcome anything."

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><p><strong>AN: Sorry for ending it on such a corny note guys, LOL.**

**This is the end, but don't worry I have an epilogue!**

**I'm not quite sure when I'll post it, but hopefully it'll be sometime in the near future.**

**I can't wait to hear what everyone thinks of the story!**

**I sincerely love all of my reviewers, you all rock my world! **


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